Greatly impressed by the pomp and ceremony of the French court, Peter the Great installed his “Russian Versailles” along the border of the Baltic Sea to commemorate his victory over Sweden. A long canal connecting to the Gulf of Finland allowed guests to reach the palace by boat, and these guests would admire the Grand Cascade, the formidable set of fountains, jets of water, and sculptures that continue to function even to the present day from mid-May to...